At airports, electrical power is often applied to airplanes through a cable assembly, or cable, that can be extended from a storage device, to allow a workman to carry the outer or connector end of the cable to the airplane and connect it to a receptacle on the airplane. Workmen are supposed to operate a power switch that applies voltage to the cable only after the connector has been connected to the aircraft. However, workmen sometimes try to save the time of running back to the storage device to turn on power after making the connection to the aircraft, by turning on power before carrying the connector end of the cable to the aircraft. This presents the danger that a spark may be created during connection of the connector at the end of the cable to the aircraft, which may ignite flammable fumes and cause a fire.
Another difficulty encountered in the use of such a cable, is in encouraging workmen to hold the outer end of the cable above the ground while the cable is retracted into the storage device. Workmen sometimes try to save time by operating a switch that retracts the cable while going about other duties. A cable assembly that encouraged workers to use cables in the proper manner--(1) by connecting power to the cables only after connections have been made to the aircraft or other power consuming device, and (2) to hold the outer end of the cable above the ground while the cable is being retracted for storage--would encourage safe and otherwise proper handling of cables that are used to connect power to a remote power consuming device.